Greens Push $25B Plan for 624 Public Supermarkets Across Australia

The Australian Greens unveiled a $25 billion plan to create a national chain of 624 publicly owned supermarkets, forcing Coles and Woolworths to sell 200 stores to a government entity called Fair Go Grocers. Federal Greens leader David Shoebridge backed the policy at the Victorian campaign launch on October 9, claiming it would cut grocery bills by 22 percent and operate without profit margins.

How the public supermarket plan would work

The Greens’ think tank proposes forcing Coles and Woolworths to divest 200 stores and three distribution centres to Fair Go Grocers, a publicly owned entity. The federal government would then construct an additional 424 stores and 10 distribution centres. The federal government would fund capital costs, while operating expenses would be covered by store revenue. Crucially, the operation would run without a profit margin.

The $25 billion price tag and price cut promise

The plan would cost more than $25 billion to implement. The Greens claim it would cut grocery bills by 22 percent, citing inspiration from New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s affordable supermarket network, which aims to lower costs by 30 percent. The think tank proposal argues the plan is viable and only lacks political will to succeed.

Victorian Greens campaign trial and national rollout

The Victorian Greens separately pledged $350 million to trial 10 state-owned supermarkets for four years as part of their state election campaign. Federal Greens leader David Shoebridge said the idea is viable and can work, citing New York’s model. The campaign launch on October 9 in Melbourne’s inner north included a vegetarian buffet and raffle prizes to draw media attention to the policy.

Why this matters for Australian shoppers

Grocery affordability has become a major election issue in Australia. The Greens argue that government-owned supermarkets would reduce prices by removing profit margins and competing directly with Coles and Woolworths, which control around 65 percent of the supermarket market. The plan targets voters concerned about cost of living pressures, though industry groups have rejected the nationalisation proposal as economically unfeasible.

Final Thoughts

The Greens’ $25 billion public supermarket plan signals a shift in Australian election politics toward direct government intervention in grocery retail. Whether voters embrace or reject the policy will become clear in the 51 days before Victoria’s state election.

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